STARFISH: How many of you have a starfish in your reef?

[revhtree]

To me the ocean and a reef "setting" just seems incomplete without a starfish. But how many of us are actually housing one in our reef tanks? Let's talk about it today!

1. Do you have a starfish in your reef aquarium and if so what kind?

2. Do you think there is an advantage to having a starfish in your tank?

3. Do you have any problems keeping a starfish happy and thriving in your aquarium?


image via @Paul87

 

[lapin]

I have thousands of mini brittle stars and a lot of asterina stars. No bigger ones

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Do microbrittles count? I have around 4 in my nano. I tend to stay on the side of "they belong in the ocean" side. LFS sell them like hot cakes to new hobbyists who tend to not know the requirements (myself included). Beautiful creatures though and jealous of anyone that can keep them happy in their larger systems.

 

[skimjim]

Zoa-munchers.... so zippo

Also, I tried owning a couple a long time ago..I found them to last about as long as Flame Scallops.... about a month

.

 

[footgal]

I have a real starfish! I collected it myself so I’m unsure of the species but he is a joy to have! It’s been 8 months now and he still looks really good.

 

[Z&KFarmsWI]

We've had 2 brittles for about 2 years now, awesome part of our clean up crew

 

[stanleo]

I have a sand sifting star fish that is thriving going on 18 months. I see him now and then. I am worried about getting other species because of their dietary habits.

 

[Ravsta]

Here's mine. I''ve had him for nearly 5 years.

 

[MoMoTheMonster]

I have a serpent seastar. I love watching his tentacles come out of his cave at feeding time to grab food. Interesting creatures!

 

[TheTangFuzz]

I have a serpent star right now who is doing awesome! last year sometime I had a common star that I found eating my toadstool leather so I ditched him unfortunately.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I wasn’t sure if I could keep one. However, I bought a serpent star from liveaquaria, and so far things are going good. He’s excellent at getting decaying stuff out of the rocks!

On the liveaquaria order I also got a rock with mushroom coral, and it had two hitchhiking brittle stars, one tiny guy and one enormous one. So now I suppose I could say I’m keeping three starfish with success...

I wish I could keep a real starfish. They’ve always been one of my favorite creatures, but I’m afraid that a nano tank is simply not sufficient enough for a starfish’s diet.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have 4 stars, 3 serpent and 1 brittle. Collected by me while snorkeling in the Florida Keys! I consider them part of the CUC.

 

[Billdogg]

I've got a harlequin serpent star that I've had for years, a black brittle star that I won at a swap meet a few years ago, and countless micro brittle and asterinas that I spread around my systems as their populations ebb and flow.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

I had a fromia years ago, lasted about a month. They are notoriously hard though, and looking back I likely wasn't experienced enough yet to keep one at the time. I bought one brittle star after that which I saw maybe twice after adding to the tank. It always hid out of sight. Don't think he's in there any more.

I'd love to try a sand sifting star, but am afraid my puffer or trigger would go after it, so haven't tried. I'd put on in my frag tank, but feel like it might not like no rockwork. Really wish I was confident enough to try another. I really love their look.

 

[ca1ore]

Thousands of brittle and asterina stars ...... zero others!

 

[Ravsta]

I have a real starfish! I collected it myself so I’m unsure of the species but he is a joy to have! It’s been 8 months now and he still looks really good.

Awesome looking chap isn't he? Love the patterns and colour.

 

[Bigdaddy05]

I have 2 really big brittles (12inches) a bunch of micro brittles and asterina (which have been eating my zoas)! all in trying to keep as close to a reef as possible for my kids as well as it being part of the nemo crew lol

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

Nothing without fins goes into my FOWLR !

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

I have a black brittle starfish

 

[Frigus Reef]

I have a real starfish! I collected it myself so I’m unsure of the species but he is a joy to have! It’s been 8 months now and he still looks really good.

Is it maybe an Echinaster spinulosus (Small Spine Seastar)?